Royal Mail is to face an employment claim from agency workers – the latest group action to hit the courts. A claim under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 alleges that agency workers at Angard Staffing Solutions Ltd, who have been engaged as agents for Royal Mail, have been treated differently from permanent staff.

According to national firm Irwin Mitchell, which is representing the workers, agency staff have the right to the same treatment as comparable employees with respect to basic employment and working conditions, once they have completed a qualifying period of 12 weeks. This would cover issues such as bonuses, annual leave, rest breaks, night work and paid time off for ante-natal appointments.

Around 50 claimants are part of the claim, lodged at Leeds Employment Tribunal, but Irwin Mitchell said hundreds more could be affected. Shazia Khan, employment partner at the firm, said: ‘It is disappointing that many employers do not fulfil their legal duties towards agency workers. Hopefully this case will put the issue firmly back in the spotlight and enable individuals to enforce their employment rights.’

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘This case is currently subject to live litigation; as such it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.’